Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I'm very grateful for the member for Hinkler for that contribution and his deferral. I too would like to make a contribution to the address-in-reply, and it comes, obviously, after the recent federal election where I was very grateful and humbled by the result that we were able to achieve in that electorate. The margin is now at 63 and a third. I would like to thank all of those in our electorate who supported our campaign and, indeed, who supported us at the ballot box. As I said, it's a very humbling result and I'm very grateful for it. The hard work has already commenced in this term of government and we have a lot on.

I would like to not only thank the electors of Calare and acknowledge them, but also thank the many other people who supported our campaign and all of the volunteers in particular, who gave up so much time, particularly in pre poll which—as we know, in some areas of our electorate it ran for three weeks, which was very hard on volunteers. There was a huge commitment right across our electorate in central western New South Wales to get those booths manned. But it wasn't just manning the booths, there was a huge amount of work that went on behind the scenes both before election day and also after election day. I want to thank all of our volunteers.

I'd also like to acknowledge our electorate council for their work including the chair, Peter Pilbeam, who was the chair before the election and now after. I'd also like to acknowledge the other members of the executive at that time including our vice chairs, Sandy Walker and David Veness; Janelle Culverson, who was secretary; the treasurer, Chris Messenger; the membership development manager, Bruce McNeilly and the delegates to women's council, Janelle Culverson and Annie Hazelton. I'm very grateful for their hard work, their support and their wise counsel. I really appreciate it.

I'd also like to thank all of those members who served on campaign committees, as well as the branch chairs. At the time in Orange it was Warwick Baines, in Mudgee it was Sandy Walker—it is now Lloyd Coleman—in Lithgow it was Peter Pilbeam, in Bathurst it was Sam Farraway and in Wellington it was Pip Smith. I'd also like to acknowledge John Holland for his work. Even though I can't name all of the members, because there are just so many who contributed to this campaign in ways great and small, I'd also like to acknowledge Kay Martin, National Party legend from Lithgow, for all of her wonderful hard work.

I also need to thank my hardworking staff, who really help in so many ways. It's not just at election time when staff are working. They work all through a term of government. Their commitment and their service to the people of Calare also needs to be thanked and acknowledged. They include Rosie Pritchard; Sophie Hancock; Xanthie Thomas; Ardin Beech; Paula Elbourne; Sarah Hayes; Maree Ireland; Sam Harma, who was working in our office at the time; our hardworking departmental liaison officer, Caroline Galea; Kirsty Stokes; Rhonda Taylor; and all of our volunteers, who came out in the weather—rain, hail or sunshine—and put the effort in to help secure what was a healthy swing towards us.

As we look across what the Nationals achieved at the election, all members were returned, most of them got increases in their margins, and some transitions were made that were potentially difficult. The doomsayers were talking down the prospects of the Nationals. It's not easy to fight an election in drought, it must be remembered, but we were able to do it. I'd like to acknowledge the organisational wing of the party and, in particular, Ben Hindmarsh, the federal director, and his team for all of their help and support. We're certainly very grateful. I should also mention the trustees of our federal electorate council, Bruce Reynolds and Tony McRae.

These are very exciting times in central western New South Wales. Even though the drought is biting very hard and the effects have been absolutely devastating, there are very exciting projects going on, one of which is the Charles Sturt University medical school. It's a $22 million initiative which will be training doctors in the bush for practice in the bush. You know, Deputy Speaker Rick Wilson, how important that is to country communities. It's due to open in 2021. Construction on the new facilities has already started. We worked very hard to secure it, but it is going to make a real difference to the lives of people in country New South Wales, as those young doctors, trained in a curriculum designed for practice in the bush, will basically be the next generation of medical professionals and doctors. They will go through to make a wonderful contribution to country Australia. We're very excited about that. We've also got the new research facility which is being developed at Orange, a further $18 million development. The sky's the limit for the work that that institute will carry out into health outcomes for country people. If you combine the two—even if you take them separately—they are a game changer for country Australia and New South Wales, in particular.

We've also got the exciting project which is the $16 million investment in the new crossing at Dixons Long Point, between Orange and Mudgee. This is going to link these two vitally important regions. People have been pushing for this road since the days of the gold rush, and everyone has said that it can't be done and it won't be done. Well, the first tranche of funding has been released under the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative. The sign-off has happened, so it's ready to go. That funding is waiting to go, and once it's drawn down by Mid-Western Regional Council we should have surveyors on the ground and also an identification of the spot for the new bridge across the Macquarie River. That work will be commencing by the end of the year, once that tender goes out when the money is drawn down. So these are very exciting times.

Of course, we have our project at Mount Panorama—the second race track at Mount Panorama, which has seen a $12.5 million investment to date by the federal government. Again, this is a game changer for our regional economy. It is not only going to encourage motorsport all year round at Bathurst, which is already the home of motor racing in Australia; we believe there will be a motor industry developing around Bathurst on the back of this development. It is a very ambitious project that Bathurst Regional Council is pushing, and I know that mayor Bobby Bourke and his team are right behind it with general manager David Shirley. The previous mayor, Graeme Hanger, was also a great supporter of this project. I attended this year's Bathurst 1000 just a week or two ago, and they had over 200,000 people through the gate over four years. This is a world-class sporting event that gains an international audience. It is Australia's premier motor racing event. I would even suggest that it's bigger than the Australian Grand Prix, and that's taking nothing away from that wonderful event. The tender has gone out for the track design, and we're very excited about what the future holds for that particular project.

It's not all about sports, though. Aged care is also vitally important to our communities in country New South Wales and Australia, and I was delighted not too long ago to announce a $1.5 million federal government investment in an intergenerational learning facility that will be built with the Maranatha House aged-care facility in Wellington. This is going to be a national first, and the folks at Maranatha House have done their research. They've taken the world's best practice, and they're going to be building what is, essentially, a preschool that will have huge benefits not only for the residents of Maranatha House but also for the kids who are going to go to the preschool. I'd like to make special mention of the folks at Maranatha, because I was there for the sod turning for this wonderful project. They're going to come from all over Australia to see this when it's up and running. I'd like to congratulate the CEO of Maranatha House, Debra Matheson, the chair, John Trounce, and the vice chair, Terry Frost. I'd like to thank Linda Sarsfield, and also Ghaffaru Ddin for his work. I'd also like to acknowledge Sajad Khan, Kirk Gleeson, Tim Smith and Irfan Sagri for their contributions.

The Lithgow headspace has also opened in the wonderful community of Lithgow, and this follows a very important investment of over $1 million. The community felt very strongly about this. In recent times there have been some devastating examples of young people taking their lives in the community of Lithgow and its surrounding districts. It has been a huge cause of concern and anguish. The pain has been immense in that area, and the community were crying out for support. That was delivered under the watch of the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, and headspace has now opened its doors. It is going to make a real difference to the lives of young people in the Lithgow area. And so I'd like to make mention of some of the folks who are behind the Lithgow headspace, including Bryan Hoolahan, the Executive Manager of Governance and Quality; Peter Rohr; Andrew Paul; Paul Koscar; Clare Knight; Alyssa Fitzgerald; Emily Roberts; Gerrit Williemse; Andrew Meenahan; and Bonita Bassett for their important contributions as well.

Over in the Blayney Shire, we've got some exciting things happening. As I said, this drought is really hurting across all of New South Wales and our areas are no exception, but, despite this, we do have some wonderful community projects being developed which are also stimulating local economic activity. One of them is the Blayney CentrePoint project, which is an indoor sporting complex in the Blayney Shire. We were able to secure $1.9 million in federal funding for that project through the Building Better Regions Fund, and construction of the revamped Blayney pool is now underway. I was out there not too long away, and we were actually walking in the pool. But they are major improvements, and this 50-year-old pool facility is going to be brought into the modern age, because it was getting a little bit old and we live in a cold climate out in the central West, as you know, Deputy Speaker, so it's very important to have these indoor sporting facilities, including the heated pool.

I'd like to acknowledge some important folks out at Central West, including the Mayor Scott Ferguson and all of his councillors; Rebecca Ryan, who's the general manager; Mark Dicker; Gordon Maccallum; Charlie Harris; and the hardworking pool staff—their patient pool staff at the moment because their facility is being upgraded. I like to acknowledge Paul Masters, Tianna Baker, Katrina Chapman, Emma Fenwich, Carissa Garside, Holly Hopkins, Craig Morgan, William Schmarr, Kathryn Toole, Hayden Webb-Pratt and Lanai Whittaker, and from Hines Constructions, who are doing a wonderful job out there, Grahame Tilston, who's the site manager, a man with vast experience; Shaun Van Uum; and Alan Vermeer, who's the senior project manager.

Out at Oberon Golf Club, we've also got some exciting developments. The golf club was able to secure $47,339 under the federal government's Community Sport Infrastructure program. The club used that money to extend its course watering system in order to improve playing conditions and it's also installed a solar power system that will take the pressure off their monthly energy bill. There are about 200 members at Oberon Golf Club. I was up there not too long ago. I'd like to thank all of the members, including Mick English, Katie Graham, Eric Whalan and Rod Hammett for all of their work on that particular project, and I'd like to acknowledge Barry Lang for his work in helping to secure this funding as well and his work for the club generally.

Over at Wallerawang, there are also some exciting things happening with the Wallerawang Community and Sports Club. They've been trying to get the extension to that club completed for years and years, and they kept doing small pieces of work to keep their DA current. But I think they were getting to the stage when they were wondering whether the work would ever really be completed. For example, they put a new fence around it and they do a bit of work on the site just to keep things moving. I was delighted to be able to announce a little while ago a $480,000 grant to actually complete that extension work. It's a true community hub, and it's going to make a real difference to the fabric of the wonderful community of Wallerawang. I'd like to acknowledge the secretary and manager, Stephen Jackson, for his work and his passion for the project; Joe Fraser, from Fraser's Constructions, who donated the earthworks; Greg Machin Plumbing for the wonderful work that they are doing out there; Ben Lane Building; John Gordon Electrical; Chris Muldoon bricklaying; and all of the club members for their ongoing support. It has been a true community effort and it's been a privilege to be a part of that, especially after years of heartbreak in not being able to get that project completed.

There was also $117,000 secured through the community support and infrastructure grant program. East Molong Tennis Club was the recipient of this funding. It has resurfaced two courts, upgraded lighting and replaced the tennis posts. The courts have been completed, but because they are sand based they need watering in and this hasn't been possible yet because of the difficult conditions we're facing with drought. But, hopefully, that work can be completed. I'm looking forward to visiting the club in the next couple of weeks for a hit and to inspect the upgrades. This just shows how badly this drought is biting and the effect that it's having not only at the farm gate but right throughout our country communities and into businesses and our sporting clubs as well. I'd like to thank and acknowledge Andrew Hicks, who is the president; Ben Brown, Hayley Glynn and also Stacey Carthew, who is the secretary at the club. Well done for their advocacy.

And over in Oberon there was a $1.5 million grant to finally get work underway on the Oberon Tarana Heritage Railway. That was wonderful news during the election campaign. I'd also like to acknowledge the work of the committee, including president, Greg Bourne; vice president, Martyn Salmon; John Brotchie; Graham Williams; David McMurray; and Ken Lingabala. Well done to you all.

We also have many other projects, and time doesn't permit me to name them all, but they include the Glen Willow complex at Mudgee. That received $6.95 million under the Building Better Regions Fund. Congratulations to Des Kennedy and all of the sporting groups who pushed for that, including the Mudgee Rugby Union Club and Luke Humphries; the Mudgee Sports Council's Peter Mitchell; junior rugby league; and all of the contractors who were involved in that. I should also mention the mayor, Des Kennedy, and his team of councillors, who have been very passionate about this project, and also GM Brad Cam over there at the Mid-Western Regional Council.

It was a wonderful and humbling result in the electorate of Calare, and the hard work is well and truly underway.

See this speech in context